Broken
by amyaghaj
Summary: Laurel Greenlaw is reaped for the 24th Hunger Games along with her best friend's little brother. She will have to do everything to get him home safely, even if that means giving up her own life.
1. Chapter 1

It was a sunny morning in District 7. I had just come in from the forest with my ax in hand. Everything seemed just right but of course in Panem on a day like this, that was probably a premonition. It was reaping day after all-the day when every child between the ages of 12 and 18 cowered in the district square hoping that the two slips picked don't have their names on it. I hated the reaping and the whole idea of the Hunger Games but I couldn't exactly change it.  
I set my ax down on my aunt's kitchen table. When I was 11 my parents died in a fire, accidental so the officials told me. Now I was seventeen and had been though enough reapings to know the horrible pit in your stomach. My aunt Laura and uncle Paul had more than what they needed to support their two daughters, but I always felt like a burden, so I worked in the forest as a lumberjack. Over the past six years I grew close to now 14 year old Amanda and 12 year old Lucy. My uncle of course loved the idea of having three daughters, although I wondered why anyone in Panem would bother having kids if they risked the reaping. Life in District 7 wasn't so bad. It surely wasn't as lavish as District 1 or 2 but there was no way it was as bad as 12.  
My aunt was in the kitchen making lunch for us before the reaping. Each district broadcasted theirs at a different time. 7's was at 1 o'clock sharp. I went up the squeaky stairs into a room that I shared with Amanda. She was braiding her silky brown hair back off her neck and light blue dress. I rummaged through my closet to pull out a green dress that looked rather Celtic. It came about mid thigh and was partially sleeved.  
"Laurel..." Amanda barely said, "Laurel are you scared?" Of course I was frightened beyond belief but I didn't want her to be.  
"You're name is only in there three times. There are thousands of slips. They aren't going to pick you or Lucy," I replied, slipping the dress over my head.  
"What about you?" She came over and zipped up my dress from the back. We both locked eyes in the full length mirror. What about me? My name was in the reaping bowl six times, but I told myself I would volunteer for Amanda and Lucy if they got picked. It was only Lucy's first reaping. If I added up the total amount of slips that would send me into the arena, it only equaled ten. The odds were completely in my favor compared to other girls.  
"Don't worry about me," I said softly. "We should check on Lucy. She's probably scared."  
Amanda stepped away and nodded slightly before walking out of the room. I closed my eyes for a moment and imagined a world where there were no Hunger Games, where every year I didn't have to worry about my safety. That place was my paradise and I hoped one day I could visit it.  
After tying my hair back into a ponytail, I went downstairs to find the table set with salad and little sandwiches. I knew my stomach couldn't take any food without making me feel like throwing up. The butterflies were going crazy in my stomach. I reminded myself I only had two more reapings and that this reaping would be completely fine.  
"Sit and eat Laurel," my aunt said, motioning to a chair.  
I shook my head. "I can't. I don't know if can keep it down right now, but thank you for the effort," I added with a small smile. "I'm going to go see Arianna."  
She nodded and I went back to the door. I didn't walk out before she stopped me, "Oh and Laurel. Next time, please don't put your ax on the table."  
The corners of my mouth turned up in a grin. I walked out and almost ran into my uncle. He opened his mouth to say something but I slipped past him and walked down the street a few houses. Arianna was my best friend. We knew each other from our toddler years; our parents were friends.  
Her house was pretty nice. It was two stories, white and had a mostly green lawn out in front. There were some weeds from lack of care, but it was really nothing compared to other houses. I walked up to their wooden door and knocked a few times. Seconds later, a little boy with brown hair and hazel eyes opened the door. His eyes lit up and face lifted into a smile. It was Arianna's little 12 year old brother, Alex.  
"Hey. Is Arianna here?" I asked him before stepping in to give him a hug. He nodded and pointed upstairs.  
I started to walk up but he grabbed my arm. "Is Lucy here?" he questioned in a high voice. It was no secret he had a crush on my cousin and she had one on him. I shook my head and continued up the stairs.  
I got to Arianna's door and knocked five times, exactly. It was a little joke we had. Only five knocks, nothing more, nothing less. "Come in," she chirped. I smiled and opened the door to see her in a short white dress that had lace on the bottom. She was putting on little white flats.  
"Well don't you look fancy," I said. We both hugged each other and when she pulled back she looked in my eyes with her deep hazelnut colored ones. I tucked back a piece of her dark brown hair.  
"I'm scared. This is Alex's first reaping. He can't get picked, Laurel. I can't do anything if he gets reaped," she said, her voice quivering. I nodded and hushed her gently.  
"It's scary, Arianna. I know it is. Believe me I've been there twice. You have to know that they're safe. They'll be fine."  
She hugged me again but this time her whole body was shaking. I could feel how completely terrified she was. For a few moments we stayed like this before she calmed herself down and pulled away. I glanced at the clock on her wall. The little hand was nearing the 1.  
"Hey. Look tonight why don't you come over for dinner after the reaping," I said, softly, squeezing her hand. She nodded and looked away.  
"You sure your aunt won't mind?" she asked, a small smile playing on her lips.  
I laughed and shook my head. "I'm pretty you're her fourth daughter."  
Alex came into the room and looked at Arianna. "We're leaving. You coming?" he asked.  
Arianna shook her head and told him we'd leave in a few minutes. He left and for his first reaping looked really calm.  
"You know, at my first reaping I was not that tranquil. What's his secret?" I asked her quietly, watching the door close behind him.  
Arianna shrugged. We spent the next few minutes just talking about life before leaving for the reaping. It was only five minutes until it was supposed to start but the square wasn't too far away. The two of us linked arms and walked out.  
At the check-in, a peacekeeper pricked our index finger and let us in. We went into the section of girls age seventeen and waited for the ceremony to begin.  
Just minutes later our district escort, Gem, walked up to the microphone and began the ceremony. Of course, like every year, the mayor read the history of Panem. I zoned out, having listened to him talk every year about the same thing. Gem took the microphone when he was finished. She was dressed oh-so-Capitolly with her bright purple suit, paleface with brazen makeup, and flashy orange hair. She looked as though she just came out of one of Lucy's old coloring books from when she was four or five.  
Gem reads out the list of past victors from District 7 and in 23 years we've had two: Don Galloway and a girl named Briget who committed suicide shortly after winning. Don was about 24. He won his games when he was 18 and mentored our tributes every year. To me, he seemed like a rather reserved guy. Don didn't dress all flashy and tacky. He wore simple suits and casual jeans. He wasn't like other victors from districts 1, 2 and 4. As Gem said his name, he stood up from his chair on the stage and gave a small wave to the camera.  
It was time for her to pick the two names. Gem went toward the first reaping ball. "Ladies first," she chirped. Her hand circled the bowl before going deep down and pulling out a small slip of paper. Everyone is tense. I watched her, clenching my hands, hoping and praying that it's not me, it's not me. She crosses back to the microphone, opens the slip, smooths it out, and reads the name in a clear voice.  
In that moment, my heart dropped. All eyes were on me, but I didn't hear the name. My mind had blocked it out. Arianna stiffened and turned to me. "Laurel," she whispered, holding back her tears, "Laurel Greenlaw.


	2. Chapter 2

I was stuck there for a second, caught in my own mind, telling myself that there was no way that happened. There was no way I got reaped. My eyes were wider than normal but I couldn't make myself move. I told myself to stay strong and not show all the emotion I was feeling on the inside. My feet were as heavy as the logs we towed out of the forest everyday. Every fiber of me screamed that this wasn't real. A few moments later, I found myself on the stage standing across from Gem.

"And now the boys," she chirped and did the exact same routine for the boys. She traveled back to the microphone and glanced down at the paper. "Alex Muñoz," she said.

I looked up quickly trying to find Alex. It was his first reaping and the odds were supposed to be entirely in his favor. What was the probability of both of us being reaped in the same duel to the death where there is only one winner? It seemed as though the odds were truly not in my favor.

Alex made his way down the aisle. He looked like he was holding himself together well. That was good; he needed his emotional strength for the arena. Slowly, he made his way up the stairs and to the stage. I locked eyes with him: brown to brown. Gem instructed us to shake hands.

A handshake meant nothing between Alex and me. As he held out his hand, I opened my arms and hugged him tightly to my chest. Despite being only twelve, he came up to my neck. He was about 5"5 and of lanky build. The next few days would most likely be spent beefing him up a bit. Our hug was short lived. The mayor stepped forward to read the treaty of Treason. After hearing it for sixteen years, I tuned it out and only focused on one thing: giving Arianna her brother back.

I didn't think I could live my life knowing that I could've done something to save her brother. Even if it meant dying, I couldn't let him lose. Gem made us face out so that the rest of the country could get a good look at us. I had been holding back my tears, keeping the sob back in my throat. No one could see me cry and break down. That was no way to get sponsors. Two peacekeepers whisked us into the Justice Building. I was separated from Alex and taken into a room more lavish and grandiose than anything I had seen before. My feet sunk into the red plush carpets. The walls were lined with portraits of past mayors and important people. The couches were soft, velvet; my fingers danced over the fabric as I sank back into the cushions. Sunshine poured in through the windows.

My mind drifted to everything bad that could happen. Not being able to survive the first day, or the cornucopia bloodbath. I was so into my thoughts that I didn't hear the door open.

"Laurel," a soft voice said, pulling me out of my nightmarish thoughts. "Laurel." It was Lucy. I turned and saw her eyes wide and teary. She rushed to me and held me tightly. I hugged her and suddenly another pair of arms was around me.

I pulled back and saw Amanda and Lucy standing in front of me. I stood slowly and wiped one of Lucy's tears away. "It's gonna be okay," I said as comfortingly as I could. They hugged me again and we spent the rest of our time holding each other close. A peacekeeper had to forcefully pull them away from me. I had the next to minutes to myself before my aunt and uncle walked in. It seemed as though they were trying to be strong for me.

I ran into their arms. They tried to console me but I couldn't hear them. Everything they said seemed to be blocked. Regardless of what I was feeling inside I held it all back, knowing that there would be cameras wherever I went. Nothing really mentionable happened other than boa constrictor hugs and attempts at comforting thoughts. Their time was up but they didn't leave without a fight. The peacekeeper had to practically pull them off of me. Surprisingly, they hadn't shed a tear. I thought I saw my aunt let one fall before the door closed behind her.

I found myself drawn to the windowsill to look out at the emptying square, riddled with peacekeepers and Capitol workers cleaning up after the reaping. The door opened again and when I turned I saw the tear streaked face of Arianna. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot. She opened her mouth to say something to me but the only thing that came out was a broken sob. I rushed to her and wrapped my arms around her.

"I can't lose you or him," she croaked between her sobs. "Protect him, please. Give him a good chance."

I shook my head and whispered, "I'll give him more than a good chance. I'll give him back to you." She wouldn't lose her brother, not while I was still breathing.

This only made her cry more. For the rest of our time together, she cried and the room echoed with her sobs. I could feel the sadness building up in my throat threatening to burst and release. The peacekeeper came and she surprisingly left without a struggle. One thing was for sure, she wouldn't come to my house for dinner. Her parents didn't come to say goodbye to me. Maybe they saw me as a hazard to their son's life now.

When we got to the train station, I saw Alex for the first time since the reaping. He had a very fake smile plastered on his face and small, almost unnoticeable tearstains on his face. There was a hoard of photographers waiting eagerly to snap pictures of the two District 7 tributes. I stepped onto the platform of the station and was immediately swarmed by photographers. Peacekeepers pushed them back but the flashes continued. I put on the happiest face I could manage and waved to some people before stepping onto the infamous Tribute Train.

It was so much more lavish than the Justice Building. It was as though the President's Mansion was shoved into a silver bullet train. In the dining car, there was a whole table covered in sandwiches, pastries, exotic fruits, rolls, and different colored jams. My eyes widened at the glamour of it all.

Don sat at a separate table drinking a cup of a purple liquid. Gem motioned for me to sit at the table and help myself to whatever I liked. Alex was already eating a muffin with some cantaloupe. I sat across from Don and poured myself a glass of orange juice.

"I'm really sorry you two ending up here," Don said. His voice was soft yet on some letters gruff. He sipped his drink. "I'll be your lifeline in the arena. No promises on survival. That falls on the both of you."

I looked down at the glass and swirled it around a little. "So how do we survive?"

Don put his glass down and looked between Alex and me. "You get sponsors, make alliances, strategize, and learn skills you're not good at. It's not too complicated but you can make a lot of stupid decisions in the arena," he responded and shrugged. "So how about this: you take my advice, follow it to the best of your ability and understand that the Capitol only wants a good show." He paused to sip his drink again. "What are you two good at?"

Alex shook his head and bit into his last piece of muffin. I hesitated telling him about being a lumberjack, but decided that everyone here was trying to help me.

"I worked out in the forest," I said, perhaps with more force than necessary.

Don smirked a little. "You keep that hidden. Not many girls do that work. When you get into training you make sure to steer clear of anything with axes. Okay?" he instructed. I nodded and he turned his attention to Alex. "What about you? Anything?"

Alex looked up at him and shook his head again.

"He's crafty and really smart for his age," I blurted out.

Don nodded and said, "In training you work on some fighting techniques. Is there anything else I should know about you two? Do you want to be trained separately?"

I couldn't say yes to that. I couldn't just leave Alex to figure things out by himself. Alex put his fork down and looked at me as if trying to get me to tell him.

"She-uh-she's my sister's best friend," he said softly, but not weakly.

Don took a deep breath. "Well that's just crappy luck. I'm sorry."

The rest of the conversation wasn't necessarily awkward. We talked about survival skills, what and what not to do in the arena. Gem came to get all of us so that we could watch the reapings and see who our competitors were.

As always, District 1, 2 and 4 had volunteers who looked like they could kill you with only their glares. The Careers were extra vicious this year after last year's surprising and disappointing loss to a tribute from District 11. No one else looked incredibly special to me, but I knew that I would probably ally with them if I had to.

After we rewatched the reapings, I went into my room and slumped into bed, mentally and physically exhausted. I didn't bother changing. At that point, I really didn't care. Don had told me that we would be in the Capitol by mid morning, early afternoon.

I drifted to sleep hoping that there would be some peace in my dreams.


	3. Chapter 3

As I drifted to sleep I could still hear Don's words echoing in my brain. "Well that's just crappy luck." It was way more than crappy luck. Regardless, I got a decent nights sleep and woke up to Gem peeling back the silver curtains of my room, allowing the sunlight to pour in. Like any stubborn teenager, I held the comforter over my face and buried it deep within the folds of my pillow. It was as if no one could find me. That was until Gem forcefully grabbed the blankets too.  
"Rise and shine, sleepyhead! We mustn't keep the Capitol waiting! Please do shower," she said and practically waddled out because her heels were so high.  
I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom where there was a shower with hundreds of buttons waiting for me. As I got in, I just started pressing buttons. The water would flash between cold and hot, jets and streams. Seven different shampoos shot out. Despite the disaster it was, I had never had so much fun showering in my life. When I got out, I smelled like roses, much more preferable to the pine tree scent I came home with from the forest.  
The drawers were lined with clothes of every type-skirts, pants, shorts, dresses, all types of shirts. I settled for a pair of dark colored pants and a light green shirt. Green wasn't my favorite color, but it reminded me of the forests, of home.  
I walked out into the dining car. My hair was completely dried and straightened thanks to a random button on the shower wall. I had pulled it back, however, into a ponytail. Alex sat at the table already with Don and Gem. All three of them started breakfast without me.  
"Sit, sit! The Avoxes will bring you anything you want," Gem chirped and gracefully patted the chair next to her. I glanced around the room and noticed the two Avoxes standing by each door. My eyes settled on a buffet. It too had an Avox behind it, spoon in hand ready to serve me. I picked up the plate from the table and walked to the buffet. When I reached for the spoon, the Avox grabbed it with lightning fast speed.  
"I would like to serve myself. Thank you," I said, politely. The Avox gave a small nod and handed me the spoon. I piled my plate high with eggs, hashbrowns, fruit, pastries, and different meats. So much for staying in shape...  
The only seat left was next to Gem, who had perfect table manners. I, on the other hand, had alright manners. Alex wasn't the best either but I could see Gem was trying her best to ignore it. I sat down and started eating, making sure to really emphasize the manners I did know. Breakfast went by slowly. We talked about the Capitol in all its splendor and how to get people to like you.  
"Now, when we pull in the train station, I want you two to wave and smile, work the crowd. You two are celebrities to them. They might ask you for autographs and although it seems strange do it. They'll love you. They'll sponsor confident, strong, lovable people," Don said while nibbled on a piece of toast lathered with green jam.  
In the corner of my eye, I caught a glimmer, a refraction of light. I felt like a kid in the candy store and couldn't help but leave my breakfast behind to take in the grand sight of the Capitol. It was all so over the top, from the sky scrapers that never seemed to end to the bright colors of everything within the city. Every building, every walkway, every bridge was decorated some bright shade of a neon color. The architecture was incredible though. Alex ran up and joined me at the window, while Don and gem both stayed put. They had seen it so many times already.  
We pulled into the station and Don was right. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of people there to greet us. They might not have been able to see in the train but we could totally see out. It was sick. All of these people gather to see 24 kids who are being sent to their death. It was something the Capitol celebrated very highly and it made me almost want to vomit.  
Minutes later, Alex and I stepped off of the train and onto a path guarded by peacekeepers. Both of us waved and smiled to some people. Although I really didn't feel it in my heart, I knew that this one action of showing them I wasn't afraid would help me get sponsors. The people cheered and screamed; the station echoed and the peacekeepers pushed people back who were trying to get to us.  
Finally we got into the Tribute Center and went up in the elevator. I had never been in an elevator before. It was a rather exhilarating ride, to see all of the Avoxes and peacekeepers shrink down. We had the seventh floor all to ourselves but we only got to spend a few minutes there before we had to go meet our stylists. The table of the dining room was full of little snacks and juices. I'm sure that if I wanted something it would've been given to me within seconds.  
Gem came around the floor to collect us. I was staring out the window at the building across the way and the massive amounts of people crowded around the Tribute Center. Alex was off in his room doing something. She took us to another floor where we met with our prep team. I didn't get to meet my head stylist but I did meet Arilia and Redeca. They were really the brawn of the team.  
They washed me down, waxed every follicle, trimmed my hair, waxed my eyebrows, filed my nails, and scrubbed the bottom of my feet. I wasn't a naturally disgusting or dirty person, I was apparently not even close to Capitol standard.  
"At least she's not as bad as the District 12 girl. Did you see her hair? She is going to be here all night," Redeca said in her stupid Capitol accent. I kept my eyes closed and ignored their giggles and jokes.  
After a surprising hour and a half getting plucked like a bird, they sent me into a room were I would meet my stylist. I was in a comfy robe, sitting on a plush Capitol couch only days from my probable death. A man about 28 came in. He had fair skin and was dressed in casual Capitol attire, nothing close to Gem's though. He was wearing a bright baby blue tunic like shirt with dark slacks and some shiny colored shoes. His hair was gelled back and his eyes outlined with tons of makeup.  
"My name is Crucis. I'll be your head stylist. Congratulations on winning an all expense paid trip to the worlds biggest money wasting city. I do hope you are enjoying your stay here," he said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.  
I could only give him a small fake smile. "Thanks," I said softly.  
"Now tonight is the tribute parade where they dress you up and show you all through out the city. This is your first chance to make an impression so that's exactly what we're going to do," he said. "I hope you aren't afraid of showing some skin."  
Immediately, my thoughts turned to me being naked on the chariot. My eyes widened and Crucis could see the worry on my face. He smirked slightly.  
"Don't worry. You'll be mostly covered. Just a little bit of skin," he said and I reluctantly agreed. Even if I didn't, they would still force me into the costume.


End file.
